DONOR SPOTLIGHT
A Commitment to Mission Most VSB donors have some direct connection to the University, usually as a graduate or parent of a graduate. Mike and Kathie Castellano, however, are not like most donors. What inspired them to give to the University was the mission of the Center for Church Management (CCM). A lifelong Catholic, Mr. Castellano attended 12 years of Catholic school and earned an accounting degree from Baruch College in New York. In 2010, he was getting ready to retire from the corporate world, where he had a successful career in financial management and accounting, including 24 years with Deloitte, 10 years at Merrill Lynch, and 10 years as chief financial officer of Lazard Ltd. He decided that any nonprofit work he would get involved in would have something to do with the Catholic Church. Through a friend, he learned that CCM was seeking new members for its Advisory Council. He liked what he heard, specifically helping priests understand financial management and business skills. “Priests are taught plenty of theology during their years in the seminary, but very little, if any, management tools in finance or human resources,” Mr. Castellano says. “It was a need to be filled and Kathie and I liked what Chuck Zech was doing.” (Charles Zech, PhD, professor emeritus, founded CCM in 2004.) The Castellanos knew that joining the Advisory Council might carry an expectation of financial commitment and they try to steer away from organizations “where there’s a gap between the recruiting speech and what actually happens with the funding. But the more we got involved and were able to see the work that was being done, we could see the value in the Center’s mission. We realized this was something that was meeting a critical need, so we stepped up our commitment” he says.
24
Villanova Business Winter 2021
Mr. Castellano has been a member of the Advisory Council since 2010 and has been chairperson for the past three years. The Castellanos have steadily increased their financial contributions to the Center over the past few years, and recently committed a seven-figure amount. “When you think of the needs of the Church in terms of ministry and management, there is a real crisis. Priests are now put in charge of parishes at a much earlier point in their careers, and often lack the skills and experience or the lay staff to manage the business of the parish,” Mr. Castellano explains. Given his background in accounting and financial management, it was important to him that the Center be financially transparent. “You don’t want to run the risk of making a donation into a black hole,” he explains.
“ We know our contribution is earmarked for the Center and will go directly to scholarship funds, research and thought leadership.” Equally important to the Castellanos was the University’s support. “It’s clear to us that Villanova is very much in support of the Center for Church Management. It’s critical to Villanova’s identity and is part of what distinguishes them as a Catholic institution. The Center is making a significant impact in the Church and Christian community, and it is an honor to support the Center’s mission.”
